East SoWal Beach Restoration workshop - 12/16/06

[BPickelTDC]

For those of you interested in beach restoration projects being developed for the 30-A communities, please plan to attend our third public informational workshop on Saturday, December 16th from 10 am - noon at the Sandestin Hilton's Emerald Ballroom . The purpose of the workshop is for the engineers and geologists who worked on the post-Hurricane Dennis Risk Assessment and sand source investigation to present their findings. This workshop will include all of the information collected to date regarding the development of future projects, and we hope to have a good turnout. Please be aware that the proposed projects will affect most of 30-A so please participate in the process. For more information visit, www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com and look under the heading for Future Beach Initiatives. Have a good Thanksgiving Holiday!

Brad Pickel
Director of Beach Management
Walton County TDC

[Panhandler]

Looking forward to it! Eat Turkey!

[BPickelTDC]

The most recent media advisory is below! We hope to have a good turnout!!!

Brad

Brad Pickel
Director of Beach Management
Walton County TDC

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

BEACH RESTORATION PUBLIC WORKSHOP

WHO: Walton County Tourist Development Council

WHAT: Beach Restoration Public Workshop covering future beach restoration initiatives along the 30A corridor

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

WHERE: Hilton Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort
Emerald Coast Ballroom

WHY:
All engineering analysis and sand source investigation activities have been completed resulting in the identification of possible restoration opportunities along the 30A corridor. The next step in the creation of future restoration projects is to present these findings to the public and garner input before submission to the Walton County Board of Commissioners.

This is the third public workshop to provide updates on the status of future beach restoration initiatives along the 30A corridor. The workshop will include an overview of the most at-risk areas, state-designated "critically eroded" beaches, a review of the sand source investigation findings, and Q&A to address specific questions and concerns.

Dr. Gregory Stone, the James P. Morgan Distinguished Professor from LSU’s Coastal Studies Institute, will be on-hand to discuss the findings from the sand source investigation; and Michael Trudnak, Project Engineer with Taylor Engineering, will be summarizing the engineering analysis that was conducted and the recommend areas for future beach restoration activities.

If you need further information please call Melinda or Brad at 267-1216 or
visit www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.

[BPickelTDC]

Hello all. I don't have any new information then what has been already posted, I am just trying to put it back on the top of the list

I hope to see many of you at the workshop this Saturday at 10 am at the Sandestin Hilton Emerald Ballroom.

Brad

[30A Skunkape]

The most recent media advisory is below! We hope to have a good turnout!!!

Brad

Brad Pickel
Director of Beach Management
Walton County TDC

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

BEACH RESTORATION PUBLIC WORKSHOP

WHO: Walton County Tourist Development Council

WHAT: Beach Restoration Public Workshop covering future beach restoration initiatives along the 30A corridor

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

WHERE: Hilton Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort
Emerald Coast Ballroom

WHY:
All engineering analysis and sand source investigation activities have been completed resulting in the identification of possible restoration opportunities along the 30A corridor. The next step in the creation of future restoration projects is to present these findings to the public and garner input before submission to the Walton County Board of Commissioners.

This is the third public workshop to provide updates on the status of future beach restoration initiatives along the 30A corridor. The workshop will include an overview of the most at-risk areas, state-designated "critically eroded" beaches, a review of the sand source investigation findings, and Q&A to address specific questions and concerns.

Dr. Gregory Stone, the James P. Morgan Distinguished Professor from LSU’s Coastal Studies Institute, will be on-hand to discuss the findings from the sand source investigation; and Michael Trudnak, Project Engineer with Taylor Engineering, will be summarizing the engineering analysis that was conducted and the recommend areas for future beach restoration activities.

If you need further information please call Melinda or Brad at 267-1216 or
visit www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.

Hey, I took a physical geography class from that guy back in the day. He had a nice collection of slides from the beach, and I am willing to bet he has numerous 'specimens' from SOWAL pre-construction boom. Talk about credentials-he is an Irishman and a Tiger!

[BPickelTDC]

Hey, I took a physical geography class from that guy back in the day. He had a nice collection of slides from the beach, and I am willing to bet he has numerous 'specimens' from SOWAL pre-construction boom. Talk about credentials-he is an Irishman and a Tiger!

Thanks for the support, he's a pretty good geologist to go along with your two other credentials

[BPickelTDC]

Thanks for the support, he's a pretty good geologist to go along with your two other credentials

Hello all. For the sake of one last shameless plug for the participation of as many people as possible, I am bumping this up one last time. I hope to see many of you in the morning and I ask a favor. If you are attending because of the notices on this board please let me know. I enjoy the ongoing communication on this board and request two hours of your time tomorrow to come to the workshop. If you don't want to ask questions then, that's fine. You can just call, pm, or email, for or against I only ask you to participate. Thanks again, and I hope to meet many of you tomorrow and see some old friends.

Brad

[Beachbummett]

So Brad, how did it go? We need details! Thanks in advance.

[BPickelTDC]

So Brad, how did it go? We need details! Thanks in advance.

We had almost 50 people in attendance, none of which stated they saw it on sowal but that's ok. There were two presentations, one regarding the engineering work that has been performed and the other regarding the sand source investigation. We are working to get the presentation on the website now so hopefully that will happen soon. In essence, everyone seemed positive about the project and it will be presented to the BCC on January 9th. It was covered by the Walton Sun and Beach Breeze so be sure and look for the articles when they come out and as always let me know if you have any specific questions.

Don't forget www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com

[SoWalSally]

We have the sand, but where’s the money?
30A beach restoration talk continues to focus on funding.
By David Magliano

Brad Pickel does not like to guess.
“I don’t do hypotheticals,” said the Tourist Development Council’s director of beach management.
But sometimes he has little choice.
The TDC held a final workshop to discuss the technical issues of a planned beach restoration project along County Road 30A, but the conversation quickly turned from science to money.
And when the question was how to fund the $50 to $60 million project, Pickel had few specific answers.
“TDC taxes will always serve as a first funding source,” said Pickel, “but as far as anything that has or has not been taken off the table, we haven’t gotten to that point.”
That point will be next year.
On Jan. 9, the TDC will make a formal request to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners for approval of 30A beach restoration. The project would rebuild 12.9 miles of beach damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Dennis in 2005.
The state will share up to 50 percent of the cost of rebuilding the 7.5 miles it has deemed critically eroded. The percentage is based on the quality of beach access in place.
The TDC has currently secured $8 million from the state, but that number will increase if the county adds amenities to the beach, such as public restrooms and parking spaces.
Federal cost sharing could also cover up to 65 percent of costs, and the TDC is pursuing that funding by performing required feasibility studies.
Outside funding will be necessary, as local TDC funding is already behind due to the current Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project, which carries a cost to Walton County of $19.1 million.
“We’re $8 million in the hole because of this beach restoration project going on outside,” Pickel said. “We more than likely will end up $10 million in the hole.”
The TDC has always used bed tax revenue for beach projects, but Pickel said additional funds will need to be located for a project this size.
But the project hasn’t reached that step yet.
“That’s a step you do after you have a project approved by the County Commission,” Pickel said.
One completed step is preliminary beach quality studies and sand source identification. The abundance of available matching sand makes the longterm prognosis for the area good, said LSU geologist Dr. Greg Stone, who is working with Taylor Engineering on the project.
Taylor Engineering has constructed multiple models for how future hurricanes would impact the area. In a 20-year storm – a storm with a 5 percent chance of hitting the area in a given year – more than 50 percent of the beach structures along 30A would be impacted.
With readily available sand, Taylor Engineering’s Michael Trudnak expects they will use a plan that would restore the beaches for protection against 100-year storms – more powerful hurricanes that have a 1 percent chance of striking the area.
Pickel said the BCC has been supportive of beach restoration work. Commissioner Cindy Meadows said the beach’s connection to tourism makes the project is a high priority.
“It’s up there on the top,” said Meadows. “It’s something that we need to do.”
The county may look into issuing bonds or securing credit lines to fund the work not covered by outside sources and current TDC taxes. Meadows said she would not support a tax increase.
If approved, construction is still at least a year away. Pickel said work would not begin in 2007, as the year will be spent securing permits and fi nalizing funding. Once construction does start, it will take roughly one year to complete.